Rumors say PS3 will drop $100 to coincide with Madden NFL's August launch

As the global economy continues to remain weak, most markets are seeing sales at the lowest point in many years. Even the stalwart video game industry is seeing sales figures decline in the face of the economic recession.

Console sales are directly tied to software sales and many game publishers are putting pressure on Sony to drop the price of its PS3 console. The PS3 is by far the most expensive game console on the market that is currently dominated by the lower priced Nintendo Wii.

Sony maintains that no price cuts are coming on the console and some industry analysts say that Sony simply can’t cut the price of the PS3 considering that the console is still a money loser for the company. Rumors of price cuts on the PS3 continue to circulate as fast as Sony can deny price cuts are coming.

The latest rumor comes from IndustryGamers who cites industry sources that claim a price cut on the PS3 is coming in August to coincide with the launch of the latest Madden NFL game. If the rumors are to be believed this time, the price cut would be significant at $100.

The price cut is said to be coming mid-August shortly before the August 18 launch of Madden. Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia said, "The industry is alive and well. While software sales for the first half of 2009 are expected to be down mid-single-digits, we believe the second half, in contrast, will likely be up 10% to 15% driven by a robust lineup, easier comparisons and potential price cut(s)."

Sales of game hardware and software are predicted to have drop another 17% in May. If Sony cuts the price on its PS3, odds are Microsoft and Nintendo would cut prices on their consoles as well. Price cuts could be the catalyst that the gaming industry needs to pull out of its sales nosedive.

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I've only had two reasons for not getting a Wii yet. First, there haven't been any "I have got to play that" games for it. Second, the damn thing is bright white, which would look like crap next to the rest of my black electronic equipment. That may seem like a poor excuse, but already having a PS3 and 360, (both black) I was in no big rush to get a Wii.

With the release of the black Wii that was announced, I may go ahead and get it. I'd bet there are quite a few people who will buy a black Wii, that either didn't buy the white one, or would rather have a black one than the white one they got. I think Nintendo has plenty of selling left to do.

I also think the PS3 will start selling like crazy with a $100 price cut.

"So, I think the same thing of the music industry. They can't say that they're losing money, you know what I'm saying. They just probably don't have the same surplus that they had." -- Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA